Americas Cup 2017

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#1774827 3-May-2017 11:13

Article in the Herald today about the speeds these boats get up to. They're getting close to 50 knots, which is well over 90km/h, which is ludicrously fast for a wind-powered vessel. Most power boats don't go that fast! Even at lower speeds, they are still going three times faster than the wind that is pushing them, which seems counter-intuitive until you check the physics.

itxtme

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#1779007 10-May-2017 11:27

Over the last 2-3 weeks Oracle have gone very quiet and now this news is surfacing this morning.

America's Cup - Oracle Team USA copies Kiwis and installs Bike Grinder

With just over two weeks before the start of the America's Cup regattas, sources in Bermuda have told Sail-World that Defender Oracle Team USA have installed a Bike Grinding station on their AC50 and were trialling on the dock in Bermuda, today.

The new grinding pedestal is located in the same cockpit as helmsman Jimmy Spithill and is located immediately behind the twice America's Cup winning skipper.

Tactician Tom Slingsby is expected to provide the pedal power with the other two hand-grinding pedestals remaining in place.

http://www.sail-world.com/NZ/Americas-Cup---Oracle-Team-USA-copies-Kiwis-and-installs-Bike-Grinder/153616

DaveB

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#1805593 23-Jun-2017 12:13

Absolutely LOVING the Americas Cup so far. Weird and sad end to NZ's Redbull Youth Americas Cup campaign. I really felt for the Kiwis, but once again, it demonstrated that Kiwi's are at the top of the league when it comes to sailing. Now all rests with Burling and Co and the big question is will Oracle launch a last minute protest?

MikeAqua

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#1805624 23-Jun-2017 12:39

So do we think Oracle have something up their sleeves?

My gut tells me they will have something they haven't rolled out yet.

But that could just be residual trauma from last time talking.

Mike

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#1805639 23-Jun-2017 13:09

MikeAqua:

So do we think Oracle have something up their sleeves?

My gut tells me they will have something they haven't rolled out yet.

But that could just be residual trauma from last time talking.

I'm inclined to believe that if that was the case we would have seen it in the 3rd or 4th race rather than another humiliating defeat. I'm sure they are desparately grasping at straws now but will they find anything is the question.

old3eyes

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#1805642 23-Jun-2017 13:14

Looks like Oracle may be up to it's usual tricks. America's Cup: Are Oracle Team USA set to launch a protest on Team New Zealand?

Regards,

Old3eyes

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#1805648 23-Jun-2017 13:23

MikeAqua:

So do we think Oracle have something up their sleeves?

My gut tells me they will have something they haven't rolled out yet.

But that could just be residual trauma from last time talking.

I don't think they had anything up their sleeves last time either.

When you're desperate, any risk is worthwhile. So, last time they took a risk which paid off. They're in the same position now. So they'll take a long-shot again, making multiple unproven interacting changes that should (or maybe even could) work. If they've done a lot of good research in the right areas in the past, the odds won't be quite as long.

Presumably, if Oracle win the next 4 races, there will be another 5-day break where Emirates get to throw their dice on modifications?

MikeAqua

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#1805665 23-Jun-2017 13:56

frankv:

I don't think they had anything up their sleeves last time either.

My read last time was Oracle always had an intermittently faster boat, but it wasn't being controlled well.

The introduction of electronic foil control allowed them to get the boat stable enough to be the consistently faster boat.

Mike

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#1805676 23-Jun-2017 14:12

frankv:

Presumably, if Oracle win the next 4 races, there will be another 5-day break where Emirates get to throw their dice on modifications?

I think I read that after the next day of racing they will continue two races per day until there's a winner, ie no more breaks.

trig42

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#1805677 23-Jun-2017 14:14

Last time, Oracle had a faster boat, they just were sailing it badly at the start. They learnt (from watching and improving NZ) to sail it better, and got it foiling upwind. It was game over then - the faster boat was always going to win - a lot of 'If Onlys' for ETNZ. This time, they have kept thing pretty close to their chests, and up until now have done 'just enough' to win (I actually think they lost to Oracle on purpose in the Round Robins).

This time it feels a little different. I am still traumatized from 2013, but I hope that come Monday, we will be feeling a lot better (still a chance that Oracle could take a race or two, so it may not be over on Monday) - and to the poster above, there are no more days off - it keeps going from Sunday (our time) until a winner is found - 3 races a day after Monday if needed.

I think in this 5-day break, Oracle may well have thrown a Hail Mary, but I think they are just adjusting their sailing technique to try and match that of ETNZ - they will have issues with that, as they do not have the same amount of power available to them. Also noticed in the practice videos by a guy call Jason in Bermuda (MyIslandHomeBermuda) that Oracle don't sem to have their BMX bike on the back either.

Fingers and everything else crossed - Race Well ETNZ #sendit

MikeAqua

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#1805682 23-Jun-2017 14:23

MurrayM:

frankv:

Presumably, if Oracle win the next 4 races, there will be another 5-day break where Emirates get to throw their dice on modifications?

I think I read that after the next day of racing they will continue two races per day until there's a winner, ie no more breaks.

Which is why it would be outhouse-rat-cunning to roll out some improvement after the 5 day break ... there is no time for TeamNZ to respond with a change of their own.

Of course TeamNZ could be making significant improvements this week too ...

Probably easier not to speculate.

Mike

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MikeAqua

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#1805683 23-Jun-2017 14:23

MurrayM:

frankv:

Presumably, if Oracle win the next 4 races, there will be another 5-day break where Emirates get to throw their dice on modifications?

I think I read that after the next day of racing they will continue two races per day until there's a winner, ie no more breaks.

Which is why it would be outhouse-rat-cunning to roll out some improvement after the 5 day break ... there is no time for TeamNZ to respond with a change of their own.

Of course TeamNZ could be making significant improvements this week too ...

Probably easier not to speculate.

Mike

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#1806393 25-Jun-2017 14:24

Speculation over. Oracle did something as they were more competitive in Sunday's racing. But TNZ lost only because of errors apparently so tomorrow will be very interesting.

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old3eyes

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#1806425 25-Jun-2017 15:28

I believe that they lightened their boat but sacrificed stability.

Regards,

Old3eyes

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#1806785 26-Jun-2017 10:10

Is there anywhere where I can view today's (Monday's) second race? I've read that the start was very interesting but I wasn't able to watch it (delayed) on Prime as I had to head to work before the second race and I don't have Sky to watch it live.

The official AC Youtube channel doesn't seem to have the races (that I could see), only the news conferences, etc.

Is there anywhere else that has the races recorded?

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